This invention relates generally to electronic devices, and more particularly, to moisture infiltration indicating systems for portable electronic devices such as handheld electronic devices.
Handheld electronic devices and other portable electronic devices are becoming increasingly popular. Examples of handheld devices include handheld computers, cellular telephones, media players, and hybrid devices that include the functionality of multiple devices of this type. Popular portable electronic devices that are somewhat larger than traditional handheld electronic devices include laptop computers and tablet computers.
Portable electronic devices such as handheld electronic devices may contain complex electronic circuitry in a compact area. Electronic components such as memory, processors, and other circuits are highly sensitive to moisture. Too much moisture can create unintended low resistance connections between nodes that are meant to be at different voltages making the circuits perform unpredictably or fail. Because portable electronic devices may not always be operated in a controlled environment, they may be more prone to moisture exposure than stationary electronic devices.
If a portable electronic device becomes inoperable, it can be difficult to determine if the device has been damaged by moisture or is inoperable for another reason. For example, a device may have been exposed to moisture without the knowledge of the owner of the device. It may therefore take time for the repair personnel to troubleshoot the device to determine whether the device has been infiltrated by sufficient moisture to damage the device. It is important to evaluate the moisture infiltration status of devices quickly and easily for many reasons, including troubleshooting, validating warranty claims, and failure analysis.
It would therefore be desirable to be able to provide electronic devices such as portable electronic devices with an improved moisture infiltration indication system which can easily and quickly indicate moisture infiltration.